Adjustable brake head



W. C. HEDGCOCK ADJUSTABLE BRAKE HEAD 1 May 1, 1923.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fue-d Aug. a, 1921 mw. ||H| mw .d 1 1 j Q, 1,1511; n w MN n Il 5.

/May l, 1923.` y 1,453,838

- W. C. HEDGCOCK ADJUSTABLE BRAKE HEAD Filed Aug. a, 1921 2 Sheets-shet 2 Patented May 1, 1923.

' UNITED 'sraras tisana WILLIAM C. lHEDGCCCK, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIC-Ivoa To AMERICAN STEEL ECUIIDEIES, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .a CCEPCEATICN or NEW JERSEY.

. ADJUSTABLE BRAKE HEAD.y l.

application ldnugust s, 192i. serial No. 490,503,

T all Iwit-om t may concern Be it knownthat I, WILLIAM C. HEDC- COCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, -in the vcounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Brake Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable brake heads.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient and durable adjustable brake head having improved means for permitting the necessary adjustment while at the same time oering frictional resistance to prevent suc-h adjustment when it is not desired.

Another object is to provide an improved adjustable brake head which permits of easy assembling and disassembling of the locking parts and of the brake head with respect to the brakey beam.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brake head embodying my invention and showing in section the trunnion end of an associated brake beam; y

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure is a bottom plan view of the same brake head; v

Figure 4 is a' sectional view taken in the plane of line 4-4 of'Figu're 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail side elevation of the brake head showing the spring pocket in section.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings it will be noted that I have provided a brake head 10 having the usual central opening -11 for the reception of a trunnion 12 of a brake beam 13. The brake beam trunnion is provided with a circumferential groove 14 for the reception of a combination frictional bearing and locking block 15 which when retained in operative position, as shown, not

only yieldably holds the brake head iny adjusted position circumferentially of the trunnion but also prevents the brake head from being accidentally removed endwise of the brake beam. The brake head in its lower portion'is provided with a spring pocket oropening 16 which alsoreceives theblook 15. j rlfhe lower endofthe `spring 'opening'l is provided witha plurality :of oppositely arranged helically'formed portions 17. Cooperating 4with these helicallyy formed portions 17 are lugs 18"pr`ojecting l*outwardly from a' spring' cap 19 which receive the coiled spring 2O which in turn yieldably presses the block 15 into engage'mentr with the grooved portion l14 of the brake beam trunnion. j

In assembling the parts, block 15 is inserted into the opening 16 of the .brake head either through the top thereof or in cases where the lower opening is made suificiently large, through the bottom thereof, whereupon the brake head is placed uponthe trunnion, it being understood that the block 15 drops'down into the opening 16 suiiiciently to permit easy application of the brake head on the trunnion.' The spring 2O is then applied through the lower end of the opening 16 with the spring cap 19, it being understood that theklugs 18 of the spring Cap ride over the oppositely arranged helically i formed portions 17 as the spring cap is rotated to place the spring 2O under proper y. y

compression to yieldably .press the block 15 against the grooved portion 14 ofthe trunnion.

Referring particularly to Figure 5 of the y drawings, it willA be noted that the helically formed portions 17 are provided with depressions or notches 21 whereby when the Cap 19 has been advanced to the proper position for its lugs 18 to engage the depressions 21 the cap will be prevented'from accidentally backing down from its proper supporting position. Also for this same purpose the spring cap 19 and lower end of the brake head are provided with registered openings 22 and 23 for the reception of a key 24.

By means of this Combination a relatively small number of simple parts Cooperate to frictionally hold the brake head in adjusted position in a manner to meet operating relt is my intention to cover all modications of the invention falling Within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

l cla-im:

l. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head with a spring opening having walls with oppositely arranged helically formed portions With depressions therein. and a spring cap having lugs cooperating with said helically formed portions and depressions tor operatively retaining said brake head on an associated support.

2. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head having an opening, the Walls of whichl are provided With helically formed portions. a block for Jfrictionally engaging an associated brake beam trunnion, a spring cooperating With said block, means having lugs cooperating with said helically formed portions for compressing said spring and forcing said block into operative association with the brake beam trunnion, said helically Lacasse formed portions having depressions Whereby said means is prevented from accidentally moving into an inoperative position.

3. In brake mechanism, the combination of a brake head having an opening, the Walls of Which are provided With helically formed portions, a block for frictionally engaging an associated brake beam trunnion, a spring cooperating With said block, means having lugs cooperating With said helically formed portions for compressing Said Spring and forcing said block into operative association with the brake beam trunnion, said helically formed portions having depressions whereby said means is prevented from accidentally moving into an inoperative position, and additional means for locking said aforesaid means in operative position.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 2nd day of August, 1921.

VILLIAM C. HEDGCGCKn 

